Our Editor, Caron, was up with the lark this morning to appear on Good Morning Scotland, calling for a Commission to allow women to feel safe on the streets. Caron is the party’s Scottish spokesperson on equality.
Reflecting on the anger felt by women over the last week, Caron said that it is important to “channel that anger into something constructive”. The party is proposing a commission, to report back within a year, “aimed at preventing violence against women and girls in all its forms”. The hope is that all parties can get behind this – “to properly address the fact that women don’t feel safe on the streets – and often not in their homes”. Caron said:
Everyone has at least one story of a narrow escape and I think that’s why what happened with Sarah Everard has just resonated so much with women.
When asked what the commission would look at, Caron replied:
Look at all areas of government – from education, just teaching boys how they should treat women and girls (and other groups like ethnic minorities as well) – what consent means. Allowing women to be heard – looking at justice as well. We do have some strong domestic abuse legislation, for example, but it’s not quick enough.
You can hear the interview in full here at 41’00”.
Here are Caron’s tweets on the matter:
You can listen to my interview on #bbcgms arguing for a Commission to look at ways of preventing violence against women in all its forms to report back in the first year of the new Scottish Parliament here from 40 minutes in. https://t.co/txCe2KeWEY.
— Caron Lindsay πΆ πΊπ¦π³οΈββ§οΈπ³οΈβππͺπΊ (@caronmlindsay) March 16, 2021
Education is important so that boys learn how to treat women with respect and girls learn that they don't have to put up with it when they don't. Schools need to deal with sexism and sexual harassment of pupils. The justice system needs to work better & faster.
— Caron Lindsay πΆ πΊπ¦π³οΈββ§οΈπ³οΈβππͺπΊ (@caronmlindsay) March 16, 2021
There are so many things the commission could look at, and it would make women feel that they were being listened to. We can't let this moment pass without action. I first started talking about this stuff at uni and that certainly wasn't yesterday.
— Caron Lindsay πΆ πΊπ¦π³οΈββ§οΈπ³οΈβππͺπΊ (@caronmlindsay) March 16, 2021
The reason so many women are angry and upset right now is that virtually all of us have reason to say "that could have been me." We've all had a narrow escape that lives with us. I did, two years ago, on a Summer Sunday afternoon in broad daylight.
— Caron Lindsay πΆ πΊπ¦π³οΈββ§οΈπ³οΈβππͺπΊ (@caronmlindsay) March 16, 2021
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One Comment
Excellent proposal. It’s good to see something thoughtful and considered that genuinely seeks positive outcomes, as opposed to the knee-jerk, dishonest and populist rhetoric displayed by Labour over the past two days.